# Accident 20150202001749A: Piper PA-32-301, Valdosta, GA, February 2, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 2, 2015, 13:00 local time
- Place: Valdosta, GA
- Airport: Valdosta Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.7814° N, 83.2761° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.7814&lon=-83.2761&mi=10
- Aircraft: N42993, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N42993) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-301 (registry code 7103207, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-301) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-301
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540-K1G5
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 416 total, 100 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA15CA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA117) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150202001749A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON FEBRUARY 02, 2015 @ APPROXIMATELY 1300 LOCAL TIME THE PILOT OF A PIPER PA32-301 WAS CLEARED TO LAND AT VALDOSTA REGIONAL AIRPORT.  WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR SKIES, WINDS REPORTED 310 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS WITH GUSTS OF 20-22 KNOTS.  TOWER CONTROLLER ASKED IF HE WOULD LIKE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 31 PILOT TOLD THE TOWER TO STAND BY, PILOT LISTEN TO WEATHER AND CHOSE TO USE RUNWAY 35.  THIS CHOICE OF RUNWAY GAVE A CROSSWIND CONDITION FOR THE PILOT TO LAND.

PILOTS WRITTEN STATEMENT WAS; JUST AS HE CROSSED OVER THE NUMBERS ON THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE STABILIZED AND SMOOTH OUT.  JUST BEFORE TOUCH DOWN A UP DRAFT PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT BACK UP INTO THE AIR WITH A SUDDEN DOWNDRAFT PUSHING THE AIRCRAFT BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED THE NEXT ATTEMPT TO SET THE PLANE BACK ON THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT NOSE OVER CAUSING THE NOSE WHEEL TO HIT THE RUNWAY FIRST CAUSING THE NOSE GEAR TO BREAK OFF AND GO AFT UNDER THE AIRFRAME.

THE STATEMENT FROM THE CONTROLLER IN THE TOWER WATCHING THE LANDING STATED THE SAME THING AS THE PILOT.  JUST AS THE PLANE WAS ABOUT TO LAND THE PLANE PITCH UP AND THEN DOWN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR HE REACHED FOR THE PHONE TO CALL EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT TO ROLL TO THE SCENE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA15CA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA117), Feb 2, 2015: Piper PA-32-301 (N42993), Valdosta, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to compensate for gusty wind conditions during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose landing gear collapse.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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